Rural Alaska’s Water Issues

Today we’re discussing water. Specifically, the absence of adequate water and sewage systems in rural communities across Western Alaska. Though there has been a lot of progress building facilities in the last 20 years, the job isn’t done, leaving many with limited access to potable water. It’s not merely an issue of convenience. There are elevated health risks, economic consequences, as well as questions of fairness in resource allocation. And amid diminishing state revenues along with accelerating climate change, the problems are rapidly worsening.